An “intellectual, accepting, beautiful” liberal arts college in northeast Los Angeles, Occidental is “perfect for hard-working and involved students who not only want to be challenged academically, but also want to be pushed to learn more about the world around them. The faculty and staff “really encourage students to take a proactive role in their education,” giving them the freedom to “experiment with a wide range of courses. In the classroom, Oxy professors “find ways to connect the lectures to the real world,” and many are “very willing to have students help them with their research,” providing valuable hands-on experience to undergraduates.

Students further augment their coursework through numerous extracurricular and off-campus opportunities, including study abroad, academic conferences, and the school’s popular “UN internship program.” “Courses are challenging,” but Oxy “professors want to see you succeed,” and the favorably low student-to-faculty ratio means “there are plenty of opportunities to get extra help on the tough material.”

Oxy students are “well rounded,” “socially and politically conscious,” and “excited to be at Occidental.” Though they take academics seriously, “people at Oxy are concerned with much, much more than their education. They are focused on academically succeeding, sure, but they are also concerned with social issues, identity, meeting new people, having fun, and gathering a variety of other skills to help them succeed in life outside of Oxy.” With such a tiny enrollment, it’s easy to find “a good niche of close friends at Oxy,” and “if you’re involved on campus, expect your friend group to continually grow.” Despite the rigors of the academic program, “there is a communal desire to help each other succeed.”

On campus, “there are frequently guest speakers, dialogues, and workshops,” and on the weekends, the school organizes “dances, trivia nights, movie screenings, fashion shows, concerts, food tastings, beer gardens, and many other events.” In their free time, many take advantage of the Southern California setting to “go to the beach, go shopping in L.A., go out to eat in Eagle Rock, [and] go hiking.” “Having a car definitely helps” if you want to explore the surrounding city, though “the school has a ‘Bengal Bus’ system that provides free rides to areas close to campus.”

Occidental College website: http://www.oxy.edu/​​​Click here to read more about the Occidental College in The Princeton Review. (You may need to log in or create a free Princeton Review account to view.)

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These college profiles are adapted from The Princeton Review's Best 379 Colleges Guide. This guide provides narrative descriptions of schools' academics, student body, and campus life, in addition to other general information. To view these details, you must create a free Princeton Review account.